MELBOURNE, Australia — Is tennis star Nick Kyrgios playing at this year’s Australian Open or is he retired? What is his current ranking? Will he be playing doubles with Thanasi Kokkinakis?
We’ve answered every question you can possibly have about Kyrgios on the eve of the 2026 Australian Open.
Is Nick Kyrgios playing at the 2026 Australian Open?
Yes and no. Kyrgios will not be competing in singles at this year’s Australian Open, having declared his body not yet ready for best-of-five set tennis. Kyrgios, who had initially been hoping for a wild card, ruled himself out of his home Grand Slam on January 9, two weeks out from the tournament commencing.
“After some good conversations with TA I’ve made the call to focus on doubles for this year’s AO,” Kyrgios wrote in an Instagram story. “I’m fit and back on court, but five setters are a different beast, and I’m not quite ready to go the distance yet. This tournament means everything to me, but I’d rather give my spot to someone who’s ready to make their moment count. It’s all building blocks, and I’ll be back next year and pumped to compete.”
However, Kyrgios will feature in doubles competition. He will team up with fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in the men’s doubles. This duo, dubbed the ‘Special Ks’, famously won the Australian Open men’s doubles title in 2022.
Did Nick Kyrgios play tennis in 2025?
Yes, Kyrgios did feature on the ATP tour in season 2025, albeit in an extremely limited capacity.
Kyrgios opened his campaign at the Australian Open in January, losing in straight sets in the first round to Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley. He next played at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells in March where he would retire against Dutchman Botic Van De Zandschulp in the opening round.
His sole win of 2025 came a fortnight later at the Miami Masters. Kyrgios prevailed over American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald in the first round before being comfortably beaten by Karen Khachanov in his next match. That would be the last tour appearance for Kyrgios until featuring at the Brisbane International in early 2026, where he was beaten by American Aleksandar Kovacevic in the first round.
What injuries has Nick Kyrgios been dealing with recently?
After a career-best 2022 season, Kyrgios has dealt with a plethora of injuries.
Kyrgios was scheduled to compete for Australia at the inaugural United Cup at the beginning of 2023 but was forced to withdraw on the eve of the event after sustaining an ankle injury. That same injury would keep him out of the following week’s Adelaide International.
A fortnight later, Kyrgios withdrew from the Australian Open, this time citing a knee injury. Scans had revealed a cyst caused by a tear in his lateral meniscus, an injury that forced him to undergo arthroscopic surgery.
Kyrgios had been slated to make his comeback at Wimbledon, but those plans were scuppered after he tore a ligament in his right wrist, one that is as important in stabilizing the wrist as an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is for the knee. Kyrgios attempted stem cell therapy in the United States before undergoing surgery in Australia. He initially targeted a mid-2024 return to tennis, but he did not feature on the tour until a UTS match in September 2024, which he won against Casper Ruud.
In 2025, Kyrgios made his far more publicized comeback, though he continued to deal with the ongoing affects of his wrist injury. At the Australian Open, he also dealt with an abdominal injury, one that hampered him in his first round match. Throughout the remainder of the year, Kyrgios battled wrist and shoulder pain.
Where is Nick Kyrgios currently ranked?
As of January 12, 2026, Kyrgios is ranked No. 1277 in the world in singles. He is unranked in doubles.
What is Nick Kyrgios’ career-high ranking?
Kyrgios achieved a career-high singles rank of No. 13 on October 24, 2016.
How much prize money has Nick Kyrgios won in his career?
Kyrgios has won US$12,802,482 (AU$18,946,149) in prize money throughout his tennis career. This figure includes singles and doubles competition.
Kyrgios prevailed over Sabalenka 6-3, 6-3 in the latest version of the “Battle of the Sexes” in tennis. This was an exhibition match played at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on Dec. 28, 2025, one that featured light entertainment throughout.
“I think this is a great stepping-stone for the sport of tennis,” Kyrgios said after the match.
The “Battle of the Sexes” was a name borrowed from the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which King won in straight sets in the Houston Astrodome and had taken place amid King’s efforts for equal pay in tennis.
Will Nick Kyrgios be commentating in 2026?
During his lengthy injury layoff, Kyrgios made a splash in the commentary box by providing both insightful knowledge and light humour. Kyrgios first featured in commentary at the 2024 Australian Open for broadcaster Eurosport. Later in the year, Kyrgios joined the BBC for Wimbledon and ESPN for the US Open.
Kyrgios did not commentate in 2025 and no such plans have been confirmed for 2026.
What is Nick Kyrgios’ best performance at the Australian Open?
Kyrgios reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2015, in what was just his second main draw appearance at his home Grand Slam. That fortnight, Kyrgios became the first teenager to reach the quarterfinals at the year’s first tennis major since Andrei Cherkasov in 1990. Kyrgios was beaten in his quarterfinal by sixth-seed and eventual finalist Andy Murray, but it remains his deepest singles run at Melbourne Park.
In 2022, Kyrgios and fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Australian Open men’s doubles competition.
Has Nick Kyrgios ever won a Grand Slam?
Kyrgios has never won a singles Grand Slam. His best result at a major came in 2022 wen he finished runner-up at Wimbledon. Kyrgios lost the final to Novak Djokovic in four entertaining sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3).
However, Kyrgios is a Grand Slam champion in doubles. He and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis teamed up to win the 2022 Australian Open. The pair, who became known as the “Special Ks,” beat the other all Australian duo of Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell 7-5, 6-4 in the final.
